One of the reasons we love sport is because you can never be
100% sure what’s going to happen; it’s the shock factor. The only thing is that, in the vast majority
of situations, the ‘unexpected’ outcome is at least on the cards before the
event starts. Take Wigan beating
Manchester City in the FA Cup final as an example – nobody gave them a fart in
the wind’s chance of emerging victorious, but instead they turned over the
reigning Premiership champions to cause one of the greatest upsets in FA Cup
Final history. But it was still a
possibility – at least a remote one – before the game that Wigan would turn up
trumps; that outcome was at least on the table.
And that’s why, in my view, the call of Shane Williams to the Lions squad
is one of the biggest shocks in professional sport I can recall.
Upon waking up and reading the news on the internet, my
first reaction was to double check that I had not dreamt the last 2 months and
that it wasn’t April the 1st.
Who honestly had Shane Williams down as having even the remotest
possibility of pulling on a Lions shirt this year? There are guys who have played regular
international rugby who you’d expect to see on the waiting list – players like
Tim Visser, Craig Gilroy or even Chris Ashton (although he may admittedly have
been waiting a long time). Even guys who
you don’t see on the international circuit who have been tearing it up at club level
in Britain and Ireland would have been deemed as potential ‘bolters’ – think of
Christian Wade, Tom Varndell or Eli Walker.
These guys may have all created varying degrees of shock if they were selected,
but at least their names were on the table to some degree. So if you confidently predicted that a 36
year old who is 2 years retired from the international game and currently
making a living playing 2nd Division rugby in Japan was going to get
a call up, I demand that you provide me with your picks for next weekend’s
lottery numbers.
But there is something gloriously romantic in Shane’s call
up that is a classic throwback to the amateur era of touring – where, if the
coaches were in a tight spot, they’d check to see who was on holiday nearby and
if they could squeeze into the spare set of size 10s they had available. I’d love to have been a fly on the wall when
the idea of calling up Shane Williams was first mooted:
Gats: “Cr*p, we’re
running out of wingers. Is there anyone
half-decent nearby who can get here in under 12 hours?”
Howley: “I think
Shane Williams is about to pop over on a commentary gig, and I know for a fact
that he takes his Lions stash and boots everywhere with him.”Gats: “Shane Williams? Behave. Who knows what kind of shape he’s in, the amount of sushi they have over there. Surely there’s somebody else.”
Howley: “Well, Gerald Davies says he’s more than happy to put his shorts on again.”
Gats: “Call Shane. Now.”
Of course, Williams is a consummate professional, and I have
no doubt he will give a strong account of himself. But this isn’t like playing the Combined
Country XV – he will be up against Henry Speight, try-scorer extraordinaire for
the premier team in Australian rugby currently.
The Brumbies may be missing some of their key players to Wallaby call
ups, but this side is not about the star players – they are a tight knit squad
whose teamwork and effectiveness outweighs the sum of their parts. This young side has once again surprised pundits
and fans by proving themselves more than capable of dealing with pressure and
turning over big teams like the Reds and the Blues with style and panache. Their strength in depth is yet to be fully
tested, however, and it will be interesting to see how they deal without key
cogs such as centre Christian Lealiifano, number 8 Ben Mowen, scrum half Nic
White and winger Joe Tomane, who are all either with the Wallabies or injured. But you can bet that their style of play will
not change – which means fast attacks around the fringes before flinging it wide
with frightening speed. It’s a tactic that
has ripped many a side apart this year, with the likes of Speight, Jesse Mogg
and Tomane all experts at finishing off half-chances.
That’s not to say that the Lions aren’t capable of
exploiting some gaps themselves.
Williams may have hogged the headlines, but I’m genuinely excited to see
what Christian Wade can do in a Lions shirt, and together the duo make a pocket-rocket
pair who can scoot through the smallest of openings if the Brumbies are foolish
enough to allow them space. Of course,
with Gatland’s game plan about power off the wings and in the centres, and with
the talented playmaker Twelvetrees also getting a call up, it will be
interesting to see what game plan this Lions side adapt since the Kiwi’s
standard bish-bash-bosh approach clearly won’t fit. That said, the pack at least looks very
mobile and powerful and far less of a random concoction than the backline, and
it wouldn’t surprise me if the Lions’ gameplan – especially with Stuart Hogg
playing 10 for only the second time – is to keep the ball tight and try to
grind their less experienced opponents down.
If they can manage that, then they have a good chance of keeping their
100% record going.
But let’s get one thing clear – the biggest shock has occurred
before the game has even started, and the Lions will be well aware that an ‘upset’
– a home victory – is very definitely on the table.
Wallabies squad members Peter Kimlin and Scott Sio will lift
an under-strength Brumbies line-up for the tour match against the British and
Irish Lions. The duo were given
permission to leave the Wallabies' training camp, ahead of the first Test in
Brisbane next week. Utility forward
Kimlin will skipper the Australian Super Rugby conference leaders, who will be
without six other Wallabies squad members.
Ben Alexander, Ben Mowen, Stephen Moore, Pat McCabe, and Christian
Lealiifano remain in the national side's camp, while Joe Tomane (toe) is
injured. The Brumbies will also miss
their regular half-back Nic White, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Starting Line
up: Jesse Mogg, Henry Speight,
Tevita Kuridrani, Andrew Smith, Clyde Rathbone; Matt Toomua, Ian Prior; Ruan
Smith Siliva Siliva, Scott Sio; Leon Power, Sam Carter; Scott Fardy, Colby
Faingaa, Peter Kimlin (c).
Subs: Josh
Mann-Rea, Jean-Pierre Smith, Chris Cocca, Etienne Oosthuizen, Jordan Smiler,
Mark Swanepoel, Robbie Coleman, Zack Holmes
Key Player
Jesse Mogg. One of
the most dangerous runners in the game will be desperate to show what Robbie
Deans is missing out on, having been overlooked in favour of Israel Folau. The young full back may look like an
archaeology student, but don't let that fool you – his lanky frame is
surprisingly strong and his turn of speed and change of direction is
devastating. The only questions to be
asked of Mogg are around his kicking game, which can be a little bit aimless at
times – if the Lions put in a good chase that negates running options, Mogg
will need to be more accurate because there will be a pretty nippy back 3
waiting to return poor kicks with interest.
On the flip side, this is a chance for him to shine so he'll need to exploit
any poor chases and join the line as much as possible.
Lions Team News
Former Wales wing Shane Williams has been drafted into the
British and Irish Lions team for Tuesday's final warm-up game against ACT
Brumbies in Canberra. Wales' record
try-scorer, the 36-year-old is currently playing in Japan after quitting
international rugby in 2011. The shock
call-up sees him feature in a team that also includes England backs Christian
Wade and Brad Barritt, who have been called up as injury cover and will arrive
in Australia on Monday. Ireland's Rory
Best will captain a side that also sees Rob Kearney and Ryan Grant start for
the first time on tour and Stuart Hogg reprises his role as a make-shift fly
half.
Starting Line
up: Rob Kearney, Christian Wade,
Brad Barritt, Billy Twelvetrees, Shane Williams, Stuart Hogg, Ben Youngs; Ryan
Grant, Rory Best (capt), Matt Stevens, Ian Evans, Richie Gray, Sean O'Brien,
Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau
Subs: Richard
Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Conor Murray,
Owen Farrell, Simon Zebo
Key Player
Shane Williams. I am
sure I am not the only one who spat their morning coffee out when they saw that
the ex-Welsh wizard had been called up to 'lend the Lions a hand' against the
Brumbies. In his pomp, the former
Ospreys man was bamboozlingly brilliant, with his quick feet only matched by
his even-quicker rugby brain. How he
will adapt from playing Japanese Division 2 rugby to taking on some of Super
Rugby will be a key issue – for the Lions' sake, he will need to adapt quickly
because he is marking the lightening Henry Speight, who's mixture of pace and
power has seen him jointly-top the Super Rugby try-scoring charts this
year. If Shane can handle Speight, the
Lions will have a chance – and who knows, maybe the old dog has picked up a few
new tricks whilst he's been away.
Key Battle
Colby Faingaa v Justin Tipuric. The Faingaa family is quickly becoming a
rugby dynasty and the young openside is making a name for himself after the
fairly notable losses of David Pocock and George Smith. Losing such quality may have had a
devastating effect on the Brumbies' Super XV hopes if it wasn't for the quick
and aggressive Faingaa stepping up to the plate with remarkable ease and
putting in a series of powerful performances that have really caught the
eye. Catching the eye will be the main
goal of Justin Tipuric, who has looked in great nick on this tour but looks set
to miss out on Test selection thanks to captain Sam Warburton hitting some
decent form. In a game where the Lions'
pack may just have an edge, and a Brumbies backline that looks considerably
more cohesive, the battle between the 2 opensides will be critical. If Tipuric can slow down Brumbies' ball then
it will make the defensive task of his slap-dash fairies out wide much easier, whilst
if Faingaa can take Tipuric out of the game, then we will have a right royal
battle on our hands.
Prediction
I had this pegged prior to the Tour as being potentially the
toughest non-test game of the lot for the tourists, and that view hasn't
changed. The Brumbies are in great nick
and look in ominously good form in Super Rugby – plus, because of their
relative inexperience, many of their players have been overlooked for Test
selection despite having sterling seasons so far. Their unity and time together is in stark
contrast to a Lions side that has more than a whiff of mix-and-match about it –
especially in the back line. Who knows
how this Lions side will gel? If it
clicks, it might be happy sailing, but given that half the team only met up for
the first time today, I can't see that being a likely outcome. I reckon we'll see a prized scalp for the
Australian conference leaders. Brumbies by 4.
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